Retirement is supposed to be a break from work but the swap from working five days a week to zero can lead to boredom and loneliness.

Here’s a few tips on how to keep busy

Volunteering or a part time job

Taking up a part-time job or volunteering is a good way to meet new friends, a good way to fend off dementia and other illnesses, whilst supporting the community.

Meetup with friends

Keep up with old friends! A weekly or fortnightly get-together prevents loneliness and is also something to look forward to in a week that may have less structure than when you were working.

Clubs and groups

Think about joining a club or maybe starting a new hobby, after-all you never had time when you were working full-time.

Keep fit and active

Just because you’re retired doesn’t mean you have to slow down.  You have all the time in the world now to get up and get moving and you’ll meet new people.

Pets

Walking a dog can provide an opportunity to meet like-minded people.

If the pressure of owning a dog is too much, consider offering to walk someone else’s’ dog.

Be brave, get out there and live life to the full in retirement!